Moments
by TheDimensionOfWords
Summary: During a walk in Jump City, Raven finds herself in Beast Boy's company. They talk about the team, and a truth is revealed. Set several years after the end of the series. Raven/Beast Boy


The night had fallen as it does at the end of every day, and the life of Jump City slowed down accordingly. The streets cleared of most traffic, as did the sidewalks, and a hush settled as though the nightlife wanted to live in whispers and not rewake the day.

For Raven, it was her favorite time to observe the place she worked so hard to protect. Not because of the dark, as some of her teammates might think, but because she wasn't assaulted with as many emotions from the citizens she played hero for. She was left with only the emotions she owned, which were few and dwindled as she padded from street to street. Walking steadily was nearly as calming as meditation, and Raven enjoyed some differentiations in her routines such as the night excursions.

So as she made her way, passing like a calm shadow through the buildings of a quiet neighborhood, she thought of little insignificant things that most would think below a powerful hero. She thought about how it might be nice to get a cactus, as she could more likely able to keep it alive than any other plant. She felt a tinge worry that her tea supply was getting a tad bit low. She then started to wonder if Silkie would eat a cactus...

"Rae?" This caused her to pause and looked around, locating the voice as coming from the fence next to her. Beast Boy looked down at her curiously, before turning into a cat to leap gracefully down from his perch. Once he returned to his humanoid form, she returned to walking. He fell easily into step beside her, having recently passed her in height, a slight smile on his face as she felt unusually calm content feelings coming off him. Her own deeply hidden emotions welcomed his familiar ones, happy to come out from hiding for them, to become "the flies of butter" (as Starfire called them) in her stomach.

"I prefer not to have a nickname," she said emotionlessly, pretending she didn't know that her presence was affecting Beast Boy much the same way his was affecting her.

"Aw, but Rae," he pouted back to her. They entered their ever comfortable battle of give and take, one that gained nothing but the other's presence and attention. Which, in a way, was everything and nothing. They did not move forward, just basked in the friendship that had built itself up almost on its own over the years.

"Star is leaving tomorrow," he brought up more quietly, slipping away from meaningless banter.

"I know." They both knew and had for months.

"I heard Wonder Girl might be taking her place," Garfield rubbed the back of his neck.

They lapsed into silence, this one not uncomfortable, just sad and asking for reminiscing of the past. Raven merely broke it with, "So we are the last two."

"Seems that way. With Nightwing working on his own..."

"And Cyborg working with the League." The conversation paused, and they both glanced at each other, Gar with a smile and Raven taking a near unnoticeable twinkle in her eye. They were both proud of their friends.

"I don't know how much longer ol' Boy Wonder will be alone with Star also going freelance," Garfield chuckled. Raven hummed in agreement, and their hands brushed accidentally, causing two heartbeats to speed up.

"Besides, Superboy and the new Robin aren't bad," Gar hastened to say, avoiding an awkward silence.

"Agreed," Raven stated, leaving a pause before continuing in a quieter voice. "But they aren't..."

"Cy or Rob, yeah." Once again silence fell, thoughtful this time, as the truth was accepted, even if it was a bit more bitter than sweet. Their hands remained at their sides, until they both reached for the other. They met in the middle with nothing said, and gently entwined together until they became one. They fit perfectly, fingers finding their places as though they had been made purely for this purpose in this moment.

"I still have you though," Raven said this, and her feelings tried to creep out to let his know they were heard and reciprocated. She kept her eyes on the ground in front of her though, insecurity making itself unpleasantly known to herself.

"And I, you," he gave her hand the gentlest squeeze, his voice holding a slight quiver as he understood that the moment had happened, all on its own. The moment that had been building all along with their friendship. One they could not turn back from.

Raven stopped, as they had nearly reached the end of the city, the bay sweeping out before them. Gar turned to face her when he felt her hand tug in his own, his face as emotionless as her own.

So there they stood, those two arm lengths apart. She lifted her head and met his brilliant green eyes that expressed so much, and she smiled ever so slightly. He matched it, eyes though sparkling with his utter happiness. No words needed to be passed as he stepped forward and took her into his arms. She wrapped her own around his chest, closing her eyes as he gently kissed her forehead.

_'I love you,'_ the kiss conveyed, the embrace expressing how deeply he meant.

She answered him with a kiss on the jaw _'I love you too'_, before tightening her own hold and tucking her head under his chin.

And the city whispered behind them, almost as if in approval, as the two Titans held each other and the dawn began to entwine with the darkness of the fading evening.


End file.
